Clarkstown South's Laura Castaldo is the Journal News Rockland girls basketball player of the year.

Carkstown South senior Laura Castaldo is photographed in the gym at the school in West Nyack on March 21, 2014. Castaldo is this year's Journal News Rockland girls basketball player of the year.(Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal New)

There's an intensity about Clarkstown South senior Laura Castaldo that draws attention to certain things. Things like her exceptional footwork, her ball-handling skills, her long-range shot.

What isn't so noticeable is her height. The 5-foot-7 forward/center has done a remarkable job over the last four seasons of holding her own against opponents who are often 5 to 7 inches taller than she is.

"I've always been that girl who is down low — even in CYO, because we didn't have height," said Castaldo, this season's Journal News Rockland Girls Basketball Player of the Year. "Probably since fourth grade I've been playing center."

A softball player and standout soccer player growing up, Castaldo didn't fully commit to basketball until her freshman year. Even then, she knew that if a Division I scholarship was in her future, it likely wouldn't be as a forward or center.

So she dropped hints at practice to former Vikings coach Jennifer Chiera-Frank and current coach Brian Metcalf about playing as a shooting guard or small-forward combo, a "swingman," in practice.

"Whenever two post players would be in (at practice), I'd be like, 'So, 3-guard?' Just joking around. But (the coaches) were like, 'Ha! Nice try,' " she said. "They did let me play the 3-guard in some games."

After a stellar junior season in which she averaged 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, Castaldo's AAU season began and Hudson Valley Elite coach John Reilly made one thing very clear to her.

Castaldo became a virtually unguardable force — averaging 27.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Clarkstown South started the season 20-0, claiming its third consecutive undefeated league championship and a berth in the Section 1 Class AA semifinals at the County Center in the process.

But the No. 2-seeded Vikings were upset by No. 7 Mahopac and Castaldo's AAU teammate, Mairead Hynes, in the semifinals.

And Castaldo — who finished with 1,503 career points, 12th all-time in Rockland and third in program history — said that a gold ball would've trumped any and all individual accolades she receives in the offseason.

When she straps up her sneakers for the University of Maryland-Baltimore County next season, Castaldo will play as a guard. While she's fine with making the full transition into the backcourt, she said a part of her will always miss being a forward.

"I love the guard. I love it because I never play it," she said. "There's still a piece inside of me that loves the post. Making those post moves down below is always fun."

Twitter: @Zacchio_LoHud

All-County Girls Basketball

The rest of the first team:

Kelly Guarino, Albertus Magnus: The senior point guard could be counted on for about 18 points per game during the regular season. Guarino missed the entire sectional tournament after tearing an ACL for a third time in the team's last practice before the postseason.

Madison McGrath, Albertus Magnus: The sharp-shooting junior guard came up huge in some of the Falcons' biggest games, especially after Guarino's injury.

Kristen McLaughlin, Tappan Zee: The Fairfield-committed senior forward will leave as the second-leading scorer in program history, with 1,313 points in four varsity seasons. Only Stephanie Cleary, the county's career scoring champ, has more (2,157).

Kayla Tucek, Clarkstown South: While Laura Castaldo led the Vikings' offense, Tucek was the glue that held it all together. An exceptional ball-handler, the junior point guard will step into the spotlight next season with Castaldo gone.

Coach of the Year

Brian Metcalf, Clarkstown South: The first-year coach and former Nanuet coach came into an already successful program, but the Vikings exceeded lofty expectations by starting off 20-0 and making the Section 1 semifinals.